THE LAW ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY TRANSITION THAT SPAIN PROCESSES ALIGNS WITH “THE EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL” AND SEEKS THE DECARBONIZATION OF THE ECONOMY. THE PROGRESSIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MEASURES WILL ALSO ENTAIL A TRANSFORMATION IN THE RAILWAY SECTOR. IN PARALLEL, THE EXECUTIVE WORKS ON THE “SAFE, SUSTAINABLE AND CONNECTED MOBILITY STRATEGY”.
The Spanish Council of Ministers approved on 19th May 2020 the Preliminary Bill for the Climate Change and Energy Transition Law. This regulation puts decarbonization and promotion of renewable sources at the heart of political action, as the key vectors of economic revival. It is the institutional framework for sustainable development and the decarbonization of the Spanish economy that seeks to achieve greater social cohesion with a model of activity that protects the environment.
The preamble to the Act highlights that more than 200 billion EUR of investment, with private and public capital, will be mobilized between 2021 and 2030. Many of the planned initiatives will be accelerated to boost economic activity after the pandemic.
The first targets are set for 2030, when greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by at least 20% compared to 1990. That same year the aim is to achieve an introduction of renewable energy in the final consumption of 35%. In addition, 70% of the electrical system must be supplied from clean sources.
By 2050 GHG emissions should be reduced by at least 90% compared to 1990 and the electricity system should already be 100% renewable.
Emission-free mobility
Section IV of the aforementioned law entitled “Emission-free mobility and transport” seeks to achieve a passenger car fleet and light commercial vehicles without direct CO2 emissions.
In the large municipalities of more than 50,000 inhabitants and insular territories, measures will be introduced for the improvement and use of the public transport network for its electrification and for the use of other fuels without greenhouse gas emissions, such as biomethane. There will also be a greater boost to shared electric mobility. Railway transport in Spain also subscribes to this change of model.
Safe, sustainable and connected mobility strategy
Plans towards the decarbonization of the Spanish economy are reinforced by other initiatives of the Executive such as the “Safe, Sustainable and Connected Mobility Strategy”.
It works in line with the SDGs and the 2030 agenda that advocates a comprehensive and inclusive understanding of transport policies, focused on environmental respect and intensive use of new technologies.
There is a commitment to low-emission means of transport and to turn infrastructures into smart and sustainable networks.
Measures suggested include transfer to modes such as the train, the use of eco-friendly vehicles, the increased energy efficiency of the industry as a whole, the boost to a smart railway power network, rolling stock renewal or LED lighting in stations.